April 8, 2018

1 Peter 1:3

What a glorious celebration of Easter we experienced this past week. What a beautiful story of the love of God. I pray that we will never get over the thrill of what Jesus has done on our behalf. Because of the victory received through Jesus we have received a living hope for today and for all eternity. I encourage you to never lose your hope in the Lord! What causes people to lose hope and turn away from the Lord?

1 Do Not Fret

The Bible says, “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong.” (Psalm 37:1) To fret means to suffer or cause to suffer emotional strain, to worry over petty problems, to eat into or wear away, to corrode, and an irritated or worried state. The resurrection of our Lord is the single greatest event in history. Had the Lord merely died, He would have been considered a great teacher and a moral leader, but He would not have proven himself God. By coming out of the grave, He triumphed over death and hell, showed His sacrifice on the cross as being acceptable to God, and gave hope of eternal life to everyone who puts their trust in Him. The victory is not only won, the victory is ours!

What are you fretting over in your life?

Have you noticed that things can corrode quickly in your life?

2 Do Not Fall Away

What causes people to fall away from their commitment to Christ? I believe people are overextended and tired. We are not to be fainthearted and fall away because of poor decision making in our lives. The Bible teaches that when we do something we are to do it with all of our heart, mind, and strength in a manner that glorifies the Lord. When Israel went to war and saw the horses and chariots of the enemy and an army greater than theirs they were told not to be afraid. The Priest was to step forward and address the army, “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” (Deuteronomy 20:2-4) Jesus gave us the victory and proved it through the resurrection. Why should we be fainthearted? We have been given a living hope. Our scripture today says in His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Our hope that is alive leads to an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade as we are shielded by God’s power.

What causes people to become fainthearted and fall away?

What keeps us strong in the Lord so that we do not become fainthearted?

3 Do Not Fear

Missionary Isobel Kuhn found herself imperiled when the Communists overran China. Taking her young son, she escaped on foot across the snow-covered Pienma Pass, arriving in Burma. There she was stranded with no money and no way to get home. She was filled with alarm, fear and dismayed. She made two decisions. The first thing was to cast out fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) She said the only fear a Christian should entertain is fear of sin. All other fears are from Satan sent to confuse and weaken us. How often the Lord reiterated to His disciple, be not afraid. So Isobel prayerfully trusted God and rejected panic and fear. Second, she sought light for the next step, and eventually arrived home safely. Anxiety disorders are at an all-time high in our world. How prone we are to panic in a crisis! Fear comes so powerfully and natural and yet the Bible tells us, to fret not, faint not, and fear not. With God’s strength and guidance, we can learn to handle crises with sound counsel and calm faith. If you are struggling today, by His grace, cast out fear and seek His light for the next step! We serve a living Savior and Lord!